i dunno if this is a P&R thread, since i'm talking about the news media. it's not really about politics, though. it's not about religion, either. but whatevs, wherevs. do whatcha will...


i keep hearing all these news stories lately about parents who snap off and kill their kids. i think i've heard about four separate incidents over the past week or two.

if one didn't know better, one might think that some kind of vile trend has popped up in which killing offspring is a social epidemic or something.

truth is, i think this happens all the time - sadly, unfortunately - but right now, the media has decided to cash in on a rash of themed horror stories, and the sick thing is, it's because they know it'll get people to tune in or buy newspapers.

i remember a while back it was abductions. sheesh, i remember when the news kept reporting shark attacks like they were going out of style.

reporting tragedies is big business, and we - ostensibly well-meaning, decent, moral people - feed right into it.

what is it about these stories that is necessary to us? if these things are going on all the time, shouldn't we know about every murder, every domestic incident gone fatal, every child brutalized, neglected and discarded, ALL THE TIME?

maybe it's that these stories make us feel superior. we might do shitty things in our lives, but at least we didn't kill our children like that guy on the news last night. at least we're better than THAT. our lives have worth compared to the story of someone who many feel should have his life taken away.

it bothers me. it makes me wonder how much better we are than the people who commit horrible crime, when we feed off stories about horrible crime for our own morbid fascination and to feel some kind of moral superiority for whatever damn reason.

i feel like, either i want to know about it all, or i don't want to know about it at all. it's other people's lives. it's between them and the justice system. the details really shouldn't be any of my business. should they?

It's a lot to take in and most days, I don't buy a paper or watch the news. The majority of the media has zero common decency and are no better than shows like Springer or Maury.

Anxiety said:

I hear ya, brother.

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

Exactly...I hardly bother as well. News media usually focuses on sensationalism and that's what this is. By the way another finger has been found in _____. How many of these are coming up as well.

I think that the internet has a lot to do with feeding peoples want/need for morbidity. From beheadings to a kid getting beat up in school to plane crashes. It's human curiosity, media irresponsibility and information accessability that makes it something that is now a part of our lives.

TV media has to compete with internet...and so we are getting as TOFKA said news that feels like Springer oft times. It says a lot when CNN's news encapsulates web blogs. Which isn't even real news.

Man, tune out of the news. That stuff is bad for your health.

I was thinking along these lines.

A Denver policeman was killed on Mother's Day. The local media are doing all of these fundraisers for the family.

However, a Denver Policeman killed a mentally challenged boy, and not a mention of what could be done to help this family.

I don't understand.


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[Edited 5/13/05 9:50am]

it makes you wonder what news really is now days. most of the stuff you hear and read is just other peoples business that really doesn't effect your life in any way.